Post surgery people…. What do you wish you knew before surgery? Knowledge, surprises, something you wish you did…..

thanks!

That the stall at or around the 3 week mark, the stall you will inevitably hit is the worst mind screw there is lol And to be ready that the incision they pull the stomach out of, and the abdominal muscles around there, hurt the worst. And that getting my fluids in would be easier if I drank warm fluids and not cold ones.

You will experience stalls. You will lose some hair. You will experience constipation. Your taste buds & sense of smell can become temporarily extra sensitive making some foods taste or smell awful. You will experience loss of energy, feel weak & tired. You may experience some blood pressure drops. You may still feel hungry (real or head). You may not feel hungry at all nor be interested in eating. Your tummy will be sensitive & can be fussy about certain foods one day & fine with them the next. You may vomit or be nauseous. Multivitamins can make you nauseous. You may experience the foamies - spit up thick saliva & maybe regurgitate the last bite or two of what you ate (generally happens if you eat too much, too quickly or food that is too dry or coarse)?

They may only happen to you a couple of times or not at all. But you can trust they do get better & pass. Stalls break. Hair regrows. Food taste yummy again. Some things pass pretty quickly. Some take a little longer & others we learn how to manage (like constipation & the foamies).

These experiences are all part of the process. Not because you’ve done something wrong or are failing as some think & beat themselves up about. We’re experiencing a lot of psychological & physiological stress: the surgery, healing, recovery, our changed & reduced diet, the head battles, reassessing the how & why we eat, etc. They ‘re just how our body reacts to cope with the stress.

And you can rely on: We all lose weight at our own rate. The more you have to lose the faster you’ll lose to begin. The closer to goal the slower your rate of loss will become.

Hope I haven’t scared you. Rather you be prepared than go through the anguish of doubting yourself because you didn’t know. I’d rather go through those things for a few months then be obese. It’s all very much worth it.

All the best.

Edited July 10, 20224 yr by Arabesque

All good advice above.

Don't compare yourself to others when it comes to weight loss speed - even if they are in a similar weight range. Just focus on your program and stay the course. We are all different and will lose at different rates even when stats are similar. Even if you are a "slow loser" that does NOT mean you will not get to your goals. It just may take a little longer.

Be prepared that weight loss is not linear, even with WLS. Others mentioned the stalls, but it can't be overmentioned that your body will lose how it wants to, and it may not match your expectations or emotional needs. It is very frustrating but do not get discouraged.

Being cold all the time is a real thing. Also, if your tail bone starts to hurt when sitting, it is very common. I recommend getting one of those cushions.

Take pictures and measurements! Seriously, this really helps when weight loss (the scale number) is not cooperating. I've made it through so many stalls by pulling out the photos and seeing the major differences. And, also looking at my measurements, which have still changed during stalls (highly encouraging). I also started making note of all my non-scale victories because it is about so much more than the scale, even though that is nice too.

That's what I can think of this early in the morning. Best of luck!

I wish I hadn't stockpiled so many protein shakes/drinks based on my pre-op tastes. They're nasty now.

57 minutes ago, FutureSylph said:

I wish I hadn't stockpiled so many Protein shakes/drinks based on my pre-op tastes. They're nasty now.

There really should be like a National clothing and shake swap for bariatric patients. Lol

Wow. Others pretty well covered it. Most important is like anything else this is your journey and you are unique. We are all here to answer questions and cheer you on but your experience will be different than ours and that’s okay. You will find your groove and come out a much healthier and most likely happier version of yourself. The simplest but often most difficult thing is to just trust the process.

8 hours ago, FutureSylph said:

I wish I hadn't stockpiled so many Protein shakes/drinks based on my pre-op tastes. They're nasty now.

Same with me. Wish I hadn't bought so much.

27 minutes ago, Candigrl1 said:

Same with me. Wish I hadn't bought so much.

27 minutes ago, Candigrl1 said:

Same with me. Wish I hadn't bought so much.

maybe ask your team to ask around and give your number to someone who can use them.

On 7/10/2022 at 6:47 AM, ShoppGirl said:

There really should be like a National clothing and shake swap for bariatric patients. Lol

THIS!!!! This needs to become a thing. How can we make this a thing?????

On the first couple of months especially, small sips, small bites. remember to eat Slowly, Des-Pa-Cito ?.

Small spoons help, if you use the right hand, try eating with the left one, if you use the left one try eating with the right one. Chew your food until you get bored, 10 minutes walks after each meal can help even if you just walk around the table in your home.

It will get better!

That I needed to make a contingency plan for when the dogs vomit and I'm home by myself post op. I ALWAYS dry heave when this happens and pre op I just pushed through and cleaned it up anyway. Happened POD 4. I almost had a panic attack when I saw it, then did the only rational thing, covered the messes with towels and pretended they weren't there until my husband got home (surprise!). Vomiting/dry heaving = something to avoid at all costs.

I wish I hadn't stockpiled so many protein shakes/drinks based on my pre-op tastes. They're nasty now.

This! I have so many extra protein powders and bariatric soups... Etc. for the soft food stage just sitting there. Ugh.

What else did I wish I knew before my first surgery? I wish I did the bypass first.

12 hours ago, Tomo said:

This! I have so many extra protein powders and bariatric soups... Etc. for the soft food stage just sitting there. Ugh.

What else did I wish I knew before my first surgery? I wish I did the bypass first.

What surgery did you do first?

what issues did you have with the first?

Please pack a lip balm/chapstick. I got Burts bees. Invaluable for hospital stay as you try to rehydrate.

Do the INTERNAL work first, and don't stop. Counseling, books, support groups. Do whatever you need to so that you are in a healthy place mentally and emotionally BEFORE surgery and then keep going because you WILL need it after. I did a ton of work before surgery and felt like I was in a really good place, but I didn't keep up with most of it post-op and really struggled for a while. The hormonal changes, body changes, and lifestyle changes all add up and suddenly I didn't recognize myself or my life anymore. this is a lifelong process, you will be a WLS patient for the rest of your life, and making sure you are taking care of your WHOLE self is so, so important.